The Beginning of an Adventure
by Kianna94
Summary: Meet James and Alice on the run from something unknown to them. Little do they know that trouble is following them and that help is not long in coming. Sequel to On the Run. M just for language
1. Chapter 1

**Part Two- Alice Pine and James S****ä****vant - **

**Chapter One- The Beginning **

**It was junior year in high school when he showed up and automatically became a mister popular. I was not in any way popular and had no desire to be. His name was James S****ä****vant. At first only a few girls wanted him but after a few months all but one girl had eyes for him. That was me. He was silent and really demure. So was I. That's probably why he was attracted to me and only me. No one really knew anything about me. They all thought that I was some poor girl whose parents abandoned her when she was nine. They're right but you know I'm not poor. I am actually pretty rich I just didn't want to get friends that way. I saw the popular girls buying all their friends food and clothing just to keep them. That was definitely not what I wanted. We were in cultural class senior year when it happened.**

"**We are going to have pot luck this year for Christmas." Mrs. Knight said. "You'll pull names and you have until the week of Christmas break. You have three months to complete this. So who's first?" All around the class the students murmured.**

"**Ha! I won't feel sorry for anyone who gets Alice." Richard said loudly. Every one turned toward me. I kept staring ahead talking under my breath. "I mean come one. A clean shirt would probably make a gift." Every one snickered.**

"**Plus she wouldn't be able to complain she needs all the help she can get." Britney said. She used to be my best friend but I never told her about the money. She would have never believed me anyway. They all started going on about how they would be able to get me anything without it mattering. I vowed I would never allow them to break me or make me cry but I was dangerously close. James looked across at me and looked away really fast. I got up and got my stuff. I pulled a name out of the hat and looked at. James. Great just my luck getting Mr. Popular.**

"**Oh. Don't worry. Whoever pulls my name you could just I don't know buy me card that would be just great. Swell. You stupid ass fuckheads. Enjoy your day." I walked out with everyone but Mrs. Knight gaping at me.**

"**Well now that we have just pissed off our only straight 'A' student. Let's pull the names. Oh and whoever pulls Alice's name I expect," her voice hardened. "That you give her gift and her respect that she deserves. Now for everyone who said anything you will stay after school. I do believe that would be the whole class except for James. You are dismissed." She turned around as I smiling walked away. The rest of the day went just about the same way. I got James on all the pot lucks we had and the class had to stay after school. At the end of the day just about the whole junior class had to stay except for James and myself. I walked down the steps of the school. James walked down behind me.**

"**Do you usually curse at a whole class?" He smiled. Running to catch up **

"**What do you want James?" I turned toward my corner. **

"**I just wanted to say I think that speech you made was pretty good. I hope you know that I won't get you card from any of the pot lucks." He looked at me earnestly.**

"**Wow. I got you for all my pot lucks and you got me. Great. Look unless you want to be seen with me I guess you better scram. Plus I'm on my way home. You know the place that's run down the place no one wants to go. So see ya'll tomorrow." I scurried off. I turned toward my house. There are advantages to living on your own. There was no one to tell you what to do. **

**I hurried inside and locked the door. I looked out the window to make sure no one was walking by. I ran upstairs to my room and changed my clothes to some shorts and a tank. I went to the garage and took my car out. It was a Chevy Expedition. It was new and shiny. I loved it. I drove to the mall to get the items I needed to make James gifts. Four gifts to make would take time and not that much money. I got some cloth and other materials. Unfortunately I ran into James at the music store. He had just brought something and was taking it off the counter while I was doing the same thing. **

"**Wow. You know the mall is about four miles from your house. How did you get here?" He asked.**

"**How else butt munch?" I laughed. I loved shopping. "I drove. What about you? Don't you live like down the street from me? I don't see a car in your driveway." I stated walking away. He followed me. **

"**Yes I do. A taxi drove me. How else would I get here? You're in a joyful mood. What's that about? Where did you get a car? Do you mind giving me a ride?"**

"**Sure. Um. Before my parents died, I mean abandoned me, my mom and I would go Christmas shopping and it was so magical. I would jump up and down on my mom. She would laugh and laugh." I got to the car and threw my stuff in. As he threw his stuff in, I caught him looking at me. "What?"**

"**Did they really abandon you? Look I'm sorry. I don't mean to butt in. I just saw how happy you looked." He closed his door and put his seatbelt on.**

"**Okay they died but nobody but Mrs. Knight knows. So you asked where I got my car, right? Well I bought it about two years ago. Man, can this baby run." I threw her into drive.**

"**Do you mind if I come over? Um my parents are drunk at the moment." He muttered as I turned down our street.**

"**Sure. Just um stay down stairs while I go up." I ran up and stashed what I bought. When I came back down he was examining a CD. **

"**I have never actually heard this person. Who is she?" He turned around and really looked me up and down. "Damn." He took a step back. I ignored that look.**

"**Its mine, I mean the CD. I sung it. It's my third album. You know I have seen that look on your face twice now. For some reason it's always me. Now why is that?" I stepped toward him.**

"**You sing? Wow. That's a great thing to do. Can I listen to it?" He said ignoring my question. I took it and put it in the CD player. I turned it on and played it. I started to spin around as the first song came on. I looked at James and he had that look upon his face again. I smiled and danced around him. He put his arm around my waist and stopped me. I looked at him and he stared down at me.**

"**I've been watching you for a year now. And it seems that every time I look at you, this is corny, but you get even more gorgeous all the time." He looked away. Before I could say anything he let me go and walked away. "Look I got to go." He rushed to the door and out without hesitation. He even left his bag. I walked to the kitchen analyzing my feelings for James. I know I have them I just didn't want to show everyone at school so they could become public knowledge. I liked James a lot. He was special to me.**

**The next day at school I found James with a group of his friends joking around about sports. I purposely dressed the way I did to get guys attention. I was wearing fishnet stockings with three inch heels and a blue mini skirt with a white turtleneck sweater that was skin tight. Every boy I passed stared at me and got slapped by their girlfriend. I walked up to James.**

"**The lady at the register said you left this there. She asked me to bring it to you. Don't worry I didn't look." I handed him the bag and walked away. All day I had students staring at me. When I got home that day someone had broken in and trashed the place: whatever pictures I had of my parents were broken and the painting that I did was torn into pieces, on the wall someone spray painted slut. I screamed and threw everything in my reach. After awhile I slid down the wall and sobbed. A few minutes later James arms were around me. He kept saying he was sorry.**

"**Look obviously someone either saw us together or was jealous or my attempt to get guys looking at me backfired. Look you should get out of here before someone sees you." I wiped my eyes and walked upstairs to change. When I saw the master bedroom I started screaming. James rushed up and saw me standing in the doorway. In that room pictures' of my family was set up in a family tree. Someone ripped every picture and cut them and wrote slut all over. **

**I sat on the floor murmuring no repeatedly. James picked me up and took me into my room. It was untouched. There was only a bed a dresser and the closet. James laid me on the bed and cuddled me. I held on to him before I realized he was in my room. I stopped crying and sat up. **

"**Well if you're going to stay you can help clean up." I tossed him a long shirt and some coveralls. "Bathrooms down the hall." I tossed off my shirt and pulled on one like the one I gave to him. After I stripped down from the waist, I check to see if he had moved. He was standing in the doorway when I pulled on my short overalls and tennis shoes. "The brooms are in the kitchen and the trash bags are in the third draw next to the sink." I instructed going down the stairs. We worked for hours just cleaning up the floor. **

"**You know what's strange? This was done today. Like lunch time today because it sure as hell can NOT be done in the five minutes it takes for me to walk home. So who in the hell wants to piss me the cupcake off?"**

"**Really? Cupcake?" James said snickering until I sent him a withering look.**

**We tried scrubbing the wall but the paint didn't come off. After we set up everything and took in the damage we drove to the furniture store. I bought a new couch set and a stand to keep the new television I had to buy. I had them drop it off that day.**

"**Well this is going to take time away from your Christmas present." I joked but James didn't laugh. "Penny for your thoughts?" I asked walking into the paint section.**

"**You can afford all this stuff." I nodded and he continued. "How can you? I mean for the past year I've been hearing how you're poor and broke and can't afford your own clothes. So Alice what the hell is going on? I see the way your house looks. It looks better than mine and we are the second riches family in Rose Valley." He held up a can of paint that I vetoed. It was a baby purple color.**

"**So we're going with the purple family ?" I asked and continued when he nodded. "As far as I'm aware the richest family is the Durables'. It was just husband and wife until almost seventeen years ago. They had a daughter on Christmas day nineteen-ninety-four." I kept walking comparing the purples. "When they had their daughter they changed her last name to Pine to keep people from asking her for money. So they changed theirs as well and kept up the appearance of their actually being a Durables family. They transferred all their names on everything and set her -me- up an account where about three thousand is deposited from their accounts into my own weekly so I could take care of myself." I explained to him.**

"**How did they die?" He asked carting the paint to the register. I kept silent all the way to the car and home. Before I could speak, the furniture arrived. We set it up out of the way and started painting.**

"**Don't you have to go home?" I asked quietly.**

"**My parents are not home. They left about six months ago. Went to Vegas and left everything in my name." He continued painting.**

"**They were given a month to get everything in order. My parents I mean. They were told that if they ever wanted to see me again they would set me up an account and handle all their business in that month. On the day of my return they were in a plane to get me with the kidnappers but the plane crashed killing them all. I only got home because I had a pocket knife and was being kept six houses down. The kidnappers planned on getting my parents out of state then coming here and robbing the place and stealing all of my stuff. I was nine." I said not looking at him but at the wall. "Do you think we could put a design in? Yeah maybe books."**

"**I like books. At least fiction, any kind of fiction really. I despise nonfiction. It's impersonal and unimaginative. What about you?" I asked writing the title of my favorite book on the wall in fancy print.**

"**I like that book. Maybe we could put titles on the walls. Same here, about the books I mean. But you know what I like most? Have liked most for the past year?" He took a step toward me with the roller. I shook my head eyeing the roller.**

"**Keep that thing away from me James." I laughed. He lunged for me and barely got my breast. "Oh you will pay for that." I grabbed my brush and flung paint on him. We stood there laughing. When something hit the window we stopped staring at each other and looked. It was a tomato. "Fuck me." I growled.**

"**Love to." James muttered. Getting back to work he went to the wall opposite of me. Around ten I asked him if he wanted to call it quits and go home but he said no. I ordered pizza and watched him eat while the paint was drying. Around two he started dozing. I couldn't send him home and I couldn't tell him I needed him to stay because I didn't feel safe. He did that for me.**

"**You mind if I crash here? I mean tomorrow's Saturday and it'll be easy for me to get up and start working again." He explained.**

"**Yeah you can sleep on the other half of my bed. But you can't wear that. I'll get you some shorts and you can toss that in the washer for tomorrow." I smiled and led him upstairs. "Bathrooms through there." I pointed tossing him some boxers and shorts. I closed my door and went to take my shower. I stepped into my room wrapped in a towel with only a bra and underwear underneath. I pulled on my boxers and wife beater. James knocked before entering.**

"**Um the boxers fit." He joked. I laughed and just rolled down the cover. When I straightened up I heard him draw in a breath. I looked down at my legs. They were long and muscular. But that wasn't what James was staring at. It was my wrist. The scars were hardly visible except after showers.**

"**It was long time ago." I shrugged it off.**

"**Can you do a twirl for me before you sit down?" He asked. I laughed as I did the twirl but got dizzy and sat down. "You look amazing." He crawled in on the other side. We turned off the lights and went to sleep. **

**I woke up about the same time as James did. Somehow I winded up lying on his chest while sleeping. I laughed as he wondered what the hell was happening. I got up quickly when he started to press against me.**

"**Sorry." He sat up. "Look you got any running clothes?" He asked at the door.**

"**There in the third closet down the hall." I walked into my bathroom and drew on my running clothes and shoes. By the time I was done James was ready. "Look we'll meet back here in thirty minutes." I ran down the street toward the school track while he ran toward the store. On the way back I ran into some trouble. **

"**Hey Alice," Britney yelled. "Did you like the improvements to your house?" She sneered. I just stood there. She pushed me back when I didn't respond. "Bitch I'm talking to you. You would do well to answer me." She shoved me again.**

"**You are going to want to keep your hands off me. You know me Britney. I don't take well to people putting their hands on me." I stepped back.**

"**Well that's obvious because if you didn't you would have a boyfriend. Wait I mean a girlfriend." She decked me. "Stay away from James." She warned.**

"**I'm happy for you Brit. You've learned to stick your ground. Too bad you had to do it with me." I gave her a good right hook that knocked her out cold. I ran home and looked at my face. James was in the shower so I was good. She didn't do any damage. I stood in room wearing a bra and my overalls. I was still deciding on a shirt when James walked in.**

"**I've been warned to stay away from you." I said watching him as he turned around. He turned right back around after that.**

"**Let me guess Britney." He walked over and strapped my overalls after I pulled a shirt on. We walked downstairs and put the couches and everything back while I explained what happened. We worked our way to the master bedroom after about two hours.**

"**Take everything down that you can. Don't worry about the pictures. That's why you get doubles." I stated. We took all the pictures down and let them fall. We painted then let it dry. "You can help if you want. You know putting up the pictures." I told him. I got the pictures and started putting them on. After we finished that it was around five. "Um if you want I can cook you dinner." I offered and smiled when he nodded.**

"**Like a date? Can it wait an hour? Listen I was thinking I should stay with you just in case someone tries to break in again. So I could go get some clothes and stuff." He suggested.**

"**Sure. I'll be in here. I got just one last thing to do." I walked him down stairs. After he left I went back up stairs and wrote my poem on the wall. By the time James was back I had already cooked some sausage and noodles.**

"**Damn girl." He said coming in. We ate and watched some movies. Around ten, I most have fallen asleep because the next thing I know James is tucking the blanket around the two of us on the couch and holding me tightly against him. I fell asleep smiling. The next morning I woke up to the smell to omelets. I got up and walked into James. He steadied me when I swayed. I looked up at him and smiled pulling away. We walked into the kitchen and sat down to a hearty breakfast.**

"**Listen." It had been about a month since the vandalism and my birthday is in two months. I cleared my throat and laughed when he raised an eyebrow. "Not to that. Look you said your parents left six months ago right? So maybe you could stay here for awhile and I could maybe let you have my room and I'll take the attic." I told him but he only stared.**

"**First tell me why you want me to stay. Then why I wasn't aware that we had an attic. If I like the answer then maybe I'll stay." He demanded staring me down.**

"**I'm scared. I've been alone for going on eight years tomorrow and I don't like it. I know that I isolated everyone but I couldn't take the pathetic looks or the pity. It's the third floor. The attic it's the entire third floor. It has internet connections and just about everything that I need. All I gotta do is move some clothes and the TV along with a bed and a dresser. Plus it'll be kinda fun to have someone to walk with to school. So what do you think?" I stood up and walked next to him.**

"**I think that maybe we should get a Texas Queen Size bed for the attic and maybe the both of us can get a nice ass TV. What do you think?" He asked pulling me down onto his lap.**

"**I think I'm so excited that I could kiss you before going shopping." I cooed softly.**

"**Why don't you?" James asked. I watched him for a second before placing my lips gently on his left cheek. "Awe that's all I get?" He complained. I looked at him and he smiled.**

"**You actually want a kiss from me. Why?" I demanded as we walked to the car. He kept to other subjects subtly avoiding my question until we got back with the stuff.**

"**I really like you. I really like you a lot, really. I won't deny that in the least. I'm about four miles north of falling in love with you." He set the bags down and walked to the door. He just opened the door when I jumped on him. "Maybe I am in love with you. You are actually pretty easy to love. I mean you are very strong and not that loud. Okay you scream loud but..." He trailed off when I bit his neck. I scrambled around to face him. He held on to me as I kissed him on the lips. Just as we were getting into it the doorbell rang, startling me. I jumped down and went toward the door, but stumbled back when I saw who it was. I ran back to James and hurried him up the stairs. No one knew about the attic so we were safe.**

"**You want to tell me what the hell is going on?" James demanded.**

"**At the moment, no I don't care to tell you. Now keep quiet unless you want them to find us. Because trust me if they get me they'll take you as well." He looked confused. "Social services you butt munch. They come about once a month but they don't know about the attic. They searched this place the first time they came and didn't find it. I used to hide out here. You know whenever I wanted to be alone with my thoughts after I lost my parents. That's why it so furnished. You good thing we got the bed, we could be in here awhile." I explained sitting on the bed. All of a sudden I got dizzy and nauseated. I guess James noticed that at least.**

"**Hey you okay? You look pale." He swept a hand over my forehead. "Wow you're burning up." He looked worried. "Ok I'm going to go get some medicine while you undress. Never mind I'll do it myself." He slid off my pants then my socks. I saw him look confused as he debated on taking my off my shirt. I guess a second time was too many times to overlook it.**

**He slid it over my arms and looked down. I saw him start to look away but he didn't when he noticed something. I felt his fingers run along a scar on my side.**

"**Um I'm sorry." He got up and got a blanket. He wrapped me in it and laid me on the bed with pillows and more comfy blankets surrounding me. "I'm going to go and get you some medicine." He started toward the door but I croaked.**

"**No wait don't go. Here," I handed him my phone. "Text love to Rachel. She'll bring it and if the people are still here, which I can hear them, she'll get them to go. Take a picture of me and send it with the text." I laid back down and closed my eyes. James sat back down beside me and laid down next to me and wrapped me in his arms after he sent it. After awhile we heard Mrs. Knight downstairs explaining to social services explaining that she had taken me in. James looked at me when he heard her coming upstairs. She opened the door and looked in.**

"**Um is Alice somewhere in there? Hello James. What are you doing here?" She walked over and checked my temperature.**

"**I moved in here a day ago. Someone vandalized her house and I helped her put it back together." He explained throwing a shirt on.**

"**Well Alice honey you seem to be at an all time high with your fever. Let's see what I bought for you today. Have you been taking your pills? Good. Now that you're here, James I expect you to make sure she takes the pills." She made me swallow some medicine and put a cloth on my head. "Make sure she gets at least eight hours of sleep. Make sure some food and juice gets inside her body. I expect to see you, James, in school tomorrow. I'll give you all the work she needs to keep up with class. You'll both be out for the week. I'll clear it and make sure you get this week's work." She walked downstairs and out the door.**

"**I'll let you sleep. I got to go and get some stuff from my old place." He gave me a peck on the lips and left.**

**A week passed with James and me staying home and doing our work. That Friday he took our work to school and came back with next week's work and the news that we would be in school the last month of the semester.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2-The Relationship**

**Two weeks later I woke to the sound of James coming up the stairs talking with Mrs. Knight. **

"**I don't know. She didn't wake up when I came back last night or when I kissed her goodbye this morning. Do know what's wrong with her?" He sounded worried. I got up and went to the bathroom. I came out wearing shorts and a tank top.**

"**Well she looks good to me. Still a little pale so keep the fluids and food in her. You have this week's work with you. I'll check in on Friday. Take care of her." She walked to the door. "I love her so make sure she gets better." She rushed out. I was tempted to go after her but I sat down instead.**

"**We better get this place cleaned up. I expect the first will show up tomorrow." I walked downstairs with him trailing me. "She's my mom's baby sister. She has two older sisters and one older brother. My father has two older brothers and one little sister. They always come when they find out I'm sick. It's like a tradition. Anyway we got nine weeks to get all our presents done. So let's clean up and get started." **

**We spent that day cleaning and first thing in the morning when I got up I started working on his last gift. James was sleeping in my bed and I had just about finished the gift when the doorbell rang. I put James present away and opened the door. Next thing I know I'm being engulfed in a giant bear hug and people are screaming.**

"**Shut up all of you. If you wake up James I'll knock you all on your asses. Try me." I warned when they kept yelling. They all shut up when I heard James yelp. "Get out of my room you rascals. James lead them all down here, will you?" I breathed out a sigh as I felt the grip on my shoulder loosen.**

"**Well I see you haven't changed that much. You're still the same old boring pajama girl. But who the hell is he?" Uncle Darin asked stepping up to James.**

"**I'm James. I live here. Who the hell are you?" James mimicked. He stared at my uncle daring him to say anything about his presence. He stepped around Darin and came and checked me out. After he felt my forehead he kissed my lips and walked to the kitchen. While he was in there I got the little cousins situated at the television and the adults' chairs. James walked out bringing some pills and orange juice. I took them while he told everyone about himself.**

"**So why didn't Rachel tell us you lived here? How do we know you're not after her money?" Charles asked.**

"**Oh come on! Shut up! Is that really the only way you guys think? Damn. I told you James - hey let me down. Over protective uncles' that don't know when to mind their own business." I stomped upstairs and closed my door to my room. James came up after me.**

"**Hey calm down. I'll call Mrs. Knight if you don't. I'm sure they'll leave faster if I leave for the day." He hugged me. I broke away and locked the door. "What-" I kissed him and we fell back on the bed as he lost his balance. He kissed me back and ran his hands up my shoulder to my face. He cupped my face and kissed me again. We went on kissing for the better part of an hour. When Sabrina came knocking we separated. butt. Charles sprang but I kicked him in the gut and he was down. "If I get him back bruised or in any way his marks will be the same in both of you." I got up and walked out with Sabrina and Charlie.**

"**Do you trust him? Where are his parents? Why was he in your room? What's going on between you two?" They piled the questions waiting for me to answer.**

"**You all done? Yes I trust him completely. We were at the mall like six weeks ago and he came home with me. Before he left he told he liked me and rushed out. The next day someone trashed this place and he helped me put it back together. He didn't even ask for anything. His parents actually abandoned him and left everything in his name. That's his room as well. Don't worry he hasn't tried anything yet. I'm still a virgin to him if you're going to ask. I love him." I got up when I heard something at the door. It was James. Darin and Charles weren't with him. Charlie and Sabrina slipped through the door behind me. James rushed me and picked me up and kissed me fully on the lips. He backed me up against the wall and gripped my sides. I sighed and deepened the kiss. Someone clearing their throat sent us into a lighter kiss but didn't break it. I heard them all shuffle out the door. I leaned away from James and put my lips to his cheeks.**

"**I love you." I whispered. I put my lips back on his.**

"**I love you." He kissed me and swung me into his arms. He carried me upstairs and into the attic. He laid over me in the bed. He slowly kissed me deepening the kiss. His hands found their way under my shirt and wrapped around my back pulling me upward toward him. My hands were busy taking off his shirt. Next thing I know, thirty minutes passed and James and I were only missing our shirts. He fingered my bra and left it hooked.**

"**I don't want to do this." He said after covering himself. He looked at my face but I'm pretty sure the only thing that showed was my confusion but apparently not because he started to apologize.**

"**I'm sorry that came out totally wrong." He sat up throwing the covers away. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I meant that I want to wait until later. At least until we graduate high school and maybe start college. I really don't want to do anything that can get us into trouble you know? I love you and I hope to keep loving you until we are old if you'll keep me till then." He finished his long soliloquy.**

"**Are you a virgin? I mean I know it sounds weird after everything you just said but I kinda had to ask you know?"**

"**You know your uncles' asked me that as well. Yes I am a virgin. I know all the rumors at school say I tapped all those girls' but I didn't. The opposite really, I only gave them a kiss and left. Kiss on the check, baby don't be jealous. Actually go ahead and be jealous it gets my ego up." He laughed and rolled over me kissing my neck downward.**

"**Okay in truth I really don't know where we'll be in two days. I live in the present never the future because it's unsure. If you really want me I'm yours. I want to wait too. Mistakes can made and if we did you know do it, it would be a mistake doing it at sixteen for the both of us. Don't think I'm naïve because I know that half our school , including the freshman, are having sex. I don't want to be part of the major percentage you know?"**

"**Are you a virgin?" He asked me looking totally serious. **

"**Lets go get some food. Okay?" I guess was answer enough for him because he looked away and got out of bed.**

**We were walking down stairs to the kitchen where our whole lives would be changed forever more.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three- On the Run**

**There it was in my dream, laying on my table. The table James and I eat on. I was about ready to gag when something cool touched my forehead. **

"**We need to check you. The guy says you hit your head pretty hard." He started waving a flashlight in my eyes. I swatted it away.**

"**Look I see only two of you I can hear perfectly fine, and nothing is spotting in my eyes. I'm not stupid; I've been through this exam enough to know the questions. Excuse me." I stepped around them and walked up to James. He looked at me and his eyes cleared of the worry when he saw that I was okay.**

"**Mr. Debonair, inform us where you were at about four fifteen this evening?" The officer asked. I saw James look around at me as if he was asking whether or not to tell them of our conversation. So it wasn't a dream. There really is a dead man laying across my table. On a closer look I saw who it really was but wondered if anyone else did as well. I know James knew who it was.**

"**I was having a conversation with Ms. Pine in a private moment." He**

**explained. The officer laughed at us and hollered to her partner. He sauntered over and tried to look menacing but it turned to pity as he saw me.**

"**Hey Stew, Carl can use your help." He said to an officer in the background. A small buzz started in the back of my head with so many cops swarming around the place. The green walls started to turn in tune with my head. My stomach started to churn as the officer struggled with an internal problem of questioning me.**

"**Ms. Pine could you explain to me, what you and Mr. Debonair were doing at the time of the murder?" The officer asked with kind eyes that showed nothing but pity.**

"**As of the moment we don't know the time of death of the victim so no, I cannot tell you where we were." I explained to them walking closer to the M.E to hear what she said.**

"**Blunt trauma to the head with a metal object. Three gun wounds in the sternum, but that's not that murder weapon. It seems as if our victim was strangled and that was what eventually killed him." She explained to the leading detective. "It appears that he was killed three hours ago. Found a hair, it matches Ms. Pine's." She pointed a look in my direction.**

"**Of course it would be mine. I live here you people." I felt someone behind me put their arms around my waist and walk me toward the couch. We reached the couch but before we were able to sit down, a cop came up to me.**

"**Ms. Pine it says here that you are sixteen. You'll be seventeen in two **

**months. You live here alone is that correct?" He asked.**

"**No." James answered for me. "I live with her." He looked up at the officer.**

"**Your parents are where Ms. Pine?" He asked but before I could answer the other officer who questioned me walked up.**

"**Ms. Pine how are you? It's been what? Eleven years since I last saw you? And we can't forget Mr. Debonair can we. The second richest family in town, if I am correct. How are your parents? Enjoying Vegas are they?" He asked raising an eyebrow.**

"**You are correct. I'm sure they are doing just fine." He answered between tight lips. "When can we leave? Alice and I need to get some food and sleep. If you could hurry up, we can get out of your hair sooner." He got up pulling me with him. We walked upstairs toward the attic. I stopped when I heard voices coming from my parents and my bedroom.**

"**This girl is straight up lonely. Probably crazy as well you know. What do you think her and that boy do in this house alone?" A female asked. I peeped in the doorway and there were two cops just staring at the pictures.**

"**What the hell are you doing in here? The dead body is downstairs. Get out now!" I screamed but before I could do anything my eyes went blank. James caught me as I fell to the ground passing out.**

**I came around to James snapping at someone to keep their hands off me. He swept a hand over my forehead checking my temperature. **

"**Bring me a wet towel if you insist on helping her." He told someone. "Hey I know you can hear me. You need to wake up. Come do you really want all these cops staring at you because you're unconscious? Come back to me." He whispered in my ears. I opened my eyes as his lips brushed against mine. He scooped me up in his arms and walked toward the room. I let him take me to bed but then I made him set me down before he laid me on the bed and tried to insist that I rest. We went to the attic and got some clothing. **

"**I got us a room at the Hyatt hotel and you know that the make you check in on time there. The officer already cleared us to move out for awhile. But the doctors don't know what's wrong with you. So they advised me to wake you up every few hours." He kept rambling on and on. I couldn't be sure if he was doing it to calm himself or inform me.**

"**James, look at me." I said softly. He avoided my eyes and kept his on my nose. I grabbed his face and pulled it toward mine. I looked deep into his eyes and what I saw shocked me and brought me to tears. "You're worried about me. Wow I never thought I would have that happen. I love you so you can be damn sure I'll do everything in my power to make you be mine in everyway humanly possible. You got that?" I kissed him on the lips getting him into the kiss was easier than getting him to settle down.**

"**We got a reservation to obtain." I whispered pulling away. "How long was I out?" I said conversationally. **

"**Only a few hours." He stated. He picked up a suitcase and one backpack. "You coming or staying?" He teased me. After one last look around the room and my home for al my life I walked out and I followed him outside and got in the car to drive away. I couldn't believe that I was leaving it. Yet I turned my back on it so easily to follow the home I knew I would always have. How strange that I thought of that just now. I realized that it has only been a few weeks since we started dating but I could see my life with him forever. If we get through this that is. Those thoughts kind of put a damper on things when I was going to spend the night in a hotel with my boyfriend. **

**When we got there and James checked us in we went straight to our suite. I started to go towards the bed but James stopped me. He pulled me to him and tucked his hands in my back pockets.**

"**You are the sexiest thing in the world. Did you see all those men looking at you? You're not even looking your greatest. Do you know that you've been a straight up downer since you left the house? What's on your mind babe?" He stroked my face with his left hand grabbing my left hand with his right.**

"**It's just that the house was my sanctuary my home basically everything that I know everything happened to me there. Then I just turn my back on it toward a home I'll always have. But how do I know that? How do I know that my life suddenly won't just change and you'll be gone? How do I know?" I broke down and started crying. "Hold up." I wiped my tears away. "Did you really just say I'm not even looking my best? Your supposed to say I look good no matter what I'm wearing. Yeah I know that you said that to cheer me up and you're probably right. I look like crap. I'm gonna go catch a shower. You find us some food. Give me about twenty minutes and we can get out of here."**

"**You listen and listen well. Okay but first my prep talk. Stand there and listen. You are my home now and forever. I am yours. When we are done with this and out of high school and finish college and get our careers started we will get married, have kids and live our lives together forever. So don't get all upset about it for that exact reason." **

"**Hold the hell-" I didn't get to finish though. James ran through the door before I could finish talking. I ran to the bathroom and hopped into the shower. I turned the water on hot and washed my hair. I was just finishing drying my hair when James came back. I had dressed in tight black pants, ankle high black boots and a dark blue turtle neck sweater. I packed up everything in the duffel bags just in case.**

**James was dressed in all black and wearing a black sweater and black sneakers. "Can you run in those? Put your hair up in a tight ponytail. We are going hunting babe." With that he smiled and chuckled about the look I gave him about questioning my shoe wear. He held up food before I could attack. "Truce? You look hotter than before the shower. Not saying you didn't look hot then but…" He stumbled over his words blushing.**

"**Of course I can run in these. Lets eat. If I'm not correct we have about an hour before anyone realizes that it wasn't me they killed and that we are coming after them head on." We sat down and ate the sandwiches he had bought. No sooner than we got than the door came busting down with armed gunmen running in bursting down the door. James went for the two on the left while I went for the ones on the right. They were down in five minutes.**

"**Looks like you were off by about twenty or so minutes." James informed me.**

"**No I wasn't. Counting time I was in the shower makes that an hour." I proved. He thought back and nodded my acknowledgement.**

"**Look we gotta go. Grab your money and the duffel bag. Please tell me you at least have some bills?" He continue after I checked and nodded. "Good before we go if we have enough time we have to get some more cash." We took the elevator down to the lobby straight to the ATM. James went first with me watching his back and then me him doing the same. We walked out the door and toward a strangers SUV, acting as if it was our car. We ducked behind it when we saw the three knee crackers circling the car. We ran low to the car and got in. We drove out of the lot and toward a gas station. **

"**Hey could I get sixty on number 6." James paid for gas while I piled snacks on the counter. The clerk had just handed me the bag when James and mine picture came on the television. **

" _**James Debonair and Alice Pine have been named as the prime suspects in the Tighten murder case. As we all know Theodore Tighten was the last of the Tighten family who started this town. If you see them please call the police do not try to be a hero. The cops were called by Mr. Debonair at Ms. Pine' s house. Mr. Tighten was shot three times in the sternum and was strangled. So far no murder weapon has been found at the crime scene." **_**The newscaster continued on but we had run out of the store after making sure the clerk was secured and the tapes with us on them were destroyed. We were on the road toward the interstate before five minutes had gone by. **

**We drove all night and some of the next day. We stopped at a hotel parking lot debating on whether or not to go in. **

"**We are just gonna have to bribe the people." James said walking up to the concierge desk. He took out a hundred and told them we wanted it a secret that we were there. We wanted three meals a day and no maid service. He gave us a key a mentioned to a bell hop who James paid. James walked to the elevator and waited for me. I walked back to the desk.**

"**If word gets out from either you or john there you both will be punished. Got it? Good." I walked to the elevator where the bellhop looked like he'd pee in his pants if he could. We rode up to the pent room with the bellhop staring straight down at the floor. He didn't make a sound while he led us to the room. He looked up at us as he was leaving almost as if he was expecting a tip. **

"**James pay the dude so he'll leave." I walked to the bathroom and stripped off my clothes and filled up the tub with hot water and bubbles. "James find us some food. Healthy food please. I swear I've gained ten pounds in the last three days." I found some exercise clothes before I got in the tub. I soaked for about ten minutes before James came into the room. He stripped before he said anything.**

"**How's steak and salad. If you are willing we can have them deliver or we could just go out." He stepped into the tub before I said anything, despite wanting to remain innocent until the future. He grabbed the soap and washed me as well as himself. I got out and tried to cover myself.**

"**Don't do that." He got out and I turned around. He wrapped a robe a towel about himself and wrapped me in a skintight robe that showed my features. He pulled me into his arms with my back against his front. "I've seen you naked before you know. I washed you when you were sick. In a moment if we don't get dressed I think I might break a promise to you." He stepped back and turned around pulling on some boxers and running shorts and a wife beater. He put his shoes on and walked back into the bathroom. I had just finished rubbing Vaseline on my legs and was walking out the door. We collided with each and almost fell. James winded up catching both of us. **

"**Dinner in thirty?" He asked giving me a kiss. It was a long kiss, one that made my breath race. "Even jogging doesn't make my breath race like that kiss." **

"**My thoughts exactly." I said going out the door. **

**I ran around the hotel and two blocks before making my way back. I slowed the pace down so I could look around the place. Ranchville wasn't a bad place. It had a Wal-mart, three high priced restaurants-one being the Steak House- but it also had a electronics store. If we were gonna stay there awhile I needed a MP3 player as well as a new laptop and case. I decided to check it out tomorrow with James or after dinner. I jogged back to the hotel beating James there by a god five minutes. I was washed, dressed and ready to go before he even dried his hair. Of course mine was still wet but still. I was dressed in a mid-thigh skirt and a tube top with sneakers. He went with plain ol' jeans and a sweater with a polo shirt under it just in case.**

"**Ready?" I nodded and we were off. We walked only for five minutes before we pulled to a stop at the restaurant. We went in and the waiter sat us at our table. We ordered drinks and started right into talking.**

"**So what do we know? Someone wants either me, you, or the both of us in jail. So we need to know who are enemy is. There is Britney and Mike." James started out.**

" **What do you mean Mike? The guy hates me and vise versa. I can't stand half the people at school." I made the exception of Ronny in my head. **

"**Are you kidding? Mike is totally in love with you. He has been since you two were in the sixth grade. I mean I know he makes fun but that's so no one notices how he stares at you during lunch when I'm not around. And I know you didn't just tell that lie. What about Ronny?" He asked softly. **

**Ronny moved away last summer from a brutal jumping the cool kids gave her. Of course no one was charged because their rich daddies' got them off. Ronny was my best friend despite me being rich and she never held it over my head. We known each other since the third grade. She went out with Mike but he was just setting her up for the jumping. They punctured a lung and she drowned in her own blood while everyone ran away, but she somehow survived. When I got to the hospital she was stabilized and unconscious. She told me she was moving to Kansas to live with her aunt. The reason for the jumping wasn't known to me until a week after she moved away. The rumor was that I was the real reason she dated Mike, so they could information about me from her. She moved away but she does still write to me despite the threat that if she did they would kill her family. Last I heard she was in Pennyville. That was about one state from where we were.**

"**James we are in Maryland right? We started in North Carolina went through Virginia and landed here. Where's the disposable phone I know you bought. I got a phone call to make." Being the avid reader that I am and reading books like James Patterson's Women's' Murder series you learn stuff about being on the run. I went outside mentioning for James to follow. **

"**Raggy's phone." Someone answered.**

"**Tell Ron its Adias." I knew the code. From the look on James face he was thinking it over. I heard a sigh of relief from the other side. **

"**Alice where the hell are you? And no this ain't no ****Ill Wind ****bff crap. Where are you? I'm still in Pennyville watching the news on how my bestie is on the run for killing the last surviving founders' family. And whose Mr. HOTTIE?" I knew her line was secure. Ron was a major electronic geek, she could track anything and hack the Pentagon like it was calculus. Then again so was I. **

"**Ron trace me and send me your address and we'll be there be night fall tomorrow." I instructed. I was always the leader and her the co-leader. We always led each other around neither one being the dominant figure.**

"**Gawd almost eighteen years old still taking orders from a youngster." She grumbled but I could hear the laughter in her voice. Then cleared. "You got a computer on you?"**

"**Give me two hours." I hung up the phone and turned to the silent party stalking us in the night. I spotted them four seconds before James. We both turned at the same time and kicked them in the throats. James held his against the wall while I knocked mine out. **

"**Who sent you?" He asked calmly. "When a guy usually tries to sneak up on me I usually kill them." He said with a straight face. I rummaged through my guys pockets and found a bank statement with a name. I took picture of their faces and nodded to James. He finished up, we straightened our clothes and walked back inside to eat. **

**After dinner we went into a the electronic store where we bought laptops, car chargers for them, two Apple iPods, and a internet thing. We walked back to the hotel and to the room like nothing was happening. I set up the laptops for internet and everything in twenty minutes top. I called Ron back.**

"**Raggy here." She answered.**

"**It's Adias." I waited a second then continued. "Still secured?"**

"**That's a insult. Second best hacker, tracker in the world." Since she was on speaker phone James was confused.**

"**I would say you are the best but then you'd argue with me saying I'm number one and I shouldn't degrade myself. So I'm on. Send the message to AJ at yahoo dot com. Alright? Oh and HOTTIES name is James." I hung up the phone before she could say anything. Before James could say anything I had a e-mail. "I got it. Oh crap." I looked closely at one of the files attached. It was a coded message from Ron. "The CIA found us. We got to go now." I told James.**

**We packed everything up and grabbed the computers stuff and ran out the door after making sure we left nothing behind. We got in the car and hopped on the freeway. It was a shame that we didn't think about cameras.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- The Unknown**

**We had known each other for two months by the time we had reached Pennsylvania and neither one of us regretted the time spent together just the actions of someone around us.**

**We reached Pennsylvania by Friday night and Ron's Place by midnight.**

**She had the door already open because I called her two minutes ago saying we were down the street. We walked in and ran straight into a little girl who looked to be two years old wearing a pajama shorts and a long shirt. She clung to my legs giggling and chattering at twenty miles per hour.**

"**Hi Becca. How are you sweetling?" I asked swinging her onto my back. I ran around the living room laughing.**

"**Aunty Alice!" Becca kept yelling. I saw Ron and James sitting on the couch introducing theirselfs to each other. **

"**Alice put her down so she can go to sleep." Ron laughed at us when we were both reluctant to part. I noticed that James was staring at me with a look on his face that said we would talk later, I nodded then gave Becca a giant kiss and put her down. Ron took her hand and led her to the bedroom that we were to sleep in with a look from me.**

"**She looks remarkably like her mom." He stated in a indifferent voice as if it didn't matter at all to him. I looked at him closely.**

"**Are fucking kidding me? That's how we are playing this? As if the - what last five days we just went through weren't honest enough? You are gonna jump on me for not telling you that Becca's mine? Well excuse the hell out of me for wanting to keep my daughters identity a secret from whoever's trying to harm us." I was about to storm out when he grabbed my arm and pulled me outside.**

"**Don't try that one with me. One its been four days since we've been on the run but keep in mind we also known each other for two fucking years and have been going to together for two fucking months and we love each other. I have to find out just by looking at you with your daughter that you even have one. So what the fuck, Alice is that about?" James started at me as if I was supposed to answer.**

**I guess that I was but I was so astonished by the fact that James never cussed. I guess recent events kind of boiled up and over because I jumped him. We landed on the grass with me on top kissing the hell out of him. I tore open his shirt and was just reaching for his belt he took my hands and rolled us over.**

"**No way are doing this now or here. I don't know what just happened but you need to calm down. And what the hell just happened? Do you mind explaining. I thought you were a Virgo anyway. How can you have a daughter that looks to be two years old?" He kept piling me with questions as I debated on whether or not to tell him the real truth about Becca and how she came to be. But on a tangent line I also wanted to know if Ron would let me take Becca with us on the road. I mean I didn't see why not. We would keep her safe. I looked at James to ask him but he still looked as if he expected an answer from a question I didn't hear or just didn't want to answer. **

"**What was the question?" I asked to be on the safe side.**

"**Becca?" was his one word reply.**

"**That is not a complete question. You know that a question should have a subject and a verb? Anyway when I was fifteen a guy and I did the whole she bang thing and Becca was a result. And I never said I was a Virgo, at least not the way you are thinking. What I said in response to your question was a question about food." In retrospect bringing that up wasn't a good idea as I saw his face turn red from humiliation. "Okay sit down and I'll tell you the truth." I stated trying to help him out. He sat down and I told the truth. For once in my almost eighteen years of life I told the complete and utter truth about myself. To the captivity to having a child at fifteen and having my best friend sent away by a group of people I had thought to be my friends. **

**After that James was telling me about his life and how lonely it has been for him to have to move all the time. Apparently his parents died at the same time as mine. He had been like me but not like me at all because he didn't have family that came to check up on him nor did he have the money to raise himself until he turned fourteen and was told of the fortune his parents had left for him. We sat there talking until we saw the sun come up. It wasn't long after that we saw the cars on the horizon. **

**Rushing inside I made sure that everything was cold and I spread the emergency dust all over everything telling James to grab the bags and money. I ran into Ron's room just as Becca woke up. James got her while Ron and I packed for them both. **

"**What car keys did you grab?" She asked as we traveled underneath the house toward the underground garage. Leading the way to the car that had the car seat in it and was the largest was the easiest thing to do. Until we were driving up ground that I realized that the car was stocked with provision. **

"**Were you planning on coming with us or something?" I asked jokingly.**

"**Yeah. I got a phone call from some friends of ours Alice." Ron said. I looked at her anxiously. If it was the one I was hoping it was then we would win this fight. I raised an eyebrow at her in suggestion.**

"**Yup James Scotch called. Said he would meet us at Topeka, Kansas."**

"**Good. I have a feeling that he can explain some of this shit to us." **

**And with that we were off onto the freeway toward Topeka.**


End file.
